A napkin with a "contract" thatpaved the way for Lionel Messi's transfer to FC Barcelona fetched nearly $1 million at an auction.
A signed napkin from 2000, that was used to secure the signing of 13-year-old Lionel Messi, sold for an astonishing amount much higher than its initial value of $380,000 (€300,000).
This historic moment was written on a napkin with a blue ballpoint pen by Carles Rexach, Barcelona's former sporting director. The 6.5 x 6.5 inch napkin contains words signed by Rexach, acknowledging his commitment to bring the young talent on board. The inscription reads, "In Barcelona, on December 14, 2000, in the presence of Mssrs. Minguella and Horacio, Carles Rexach, technical secretary of FC Barcelona, hereby agrees under his responsibility and against some dissenting opinions to sign the player Lionel Messi, provided that we keep to the amounts agreed."
The napkin also features the signatures of Horacio Gaggioli, an Argentine agent who discovered Messi, and Josep Minguella, the transfer advisor of Barcelona at the time. Together, they were instrumental in organizing an audition for Messi, which took place in September 2000.
The napkin was signed at a lunch meeting held at the Pompeia tennis club, where Rexach, Minguella, and Gaggioli met to finalize the agreement. Later that day, Joan Gaspart, the Barcelona president at the time, confirmed the deal, altering the course of football history.
After completing his training at La Masia, Barcelona's acclaimed academy, Messi began his extraordinary career and went on to become one of the world's finest players. He made his senior team debut in 2004 at the age of 16, becoming the youngest-ever player to represent Barcelona.
In his career, Messi made a record of 778 appearances for the club, shattered the club's goalscoring record, and garnered an impressive collection of 35 trophies, including 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League titles.
Describing the significance of the napkin, Ian Ehling, the head of fine books and manuscripts at Bonhams New York, said, "Yes, it's just a paper napkin, but it's the famous napkin that initiated Lionel Messi's career. It altered Messi's life, the future of FC Barcelona, and granted millions of fans around the world remarkable soccer memories."
This article has been updated to include the final sale prices and additional details post-auction.
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In the world of football, the napkin containing the contract that kicked off Lionel Messi's remarkable career with FC Barcelona is now worth significantly more than the initial fee agreed upon. During a crucial lunch meeting, the deal to bring the young talent to Barcelona was finalized, marking a turning point for both Messi and the club.
Source: edition.cnn.com
